2 Kings 23

1 And thei telden to the kyng that, that sche seide; `which kyng sente, and alle the elde men of Juda, and of Jerusalem, weren gaderid to hym.

And the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

2 And the kyng stiede in to the temple of the Lord, and alle the men of Juda, and alle men that dwelliden in Jerusalem with hym, the preestis, and the prophetis, and al the puple, fro litil `til to greet; and he redde, while alle men herden, alle the wordis of the book of boond of pees of the Lord, which book was foundun in the hows of the Lord.

And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD.

3 And the kyng stood on the grees; and he smoot boond of pees bifor the Lord, that thei schulden go aftir the Lord, and kepe hise comaundementis and witnessyngis and cerymonyes in al the herte and in al the soule, that thei schulden reise the wordis of this boond of pees, that weren writun in that book; and the puple assentide to the couenaunt.

And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

4 And the kyng comaundide to Helchie, the bischop, and to the preestis of the secounde ordre, and to the porteris, that thei schulden caste out of the temple alle the vesselis, that weren maad to Baal, and in the wode, and to al the knyythod of heuene; and he brente tho vessels with out Jerusalem, in the euene valey of Cedron, and he bar the poudir of tho `vessels in to Bethel.

And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel.

5 And he dide awei false dyuynours `that dyuynyden in the entrailis of beestis sacrified to idols, whiche the kingis of Juda hadden sett to make sacrifice in hiy thingis bi the citees of Juda, and in the cumpas of Jerusalem; and he dide awey hem that brenten encense to Baal, and to the sunne, and to the moone, and to twelue signes, and to al the knyythod of heuene.

And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

6 And he made the wode to be borun out of the hows of the Lord without Jerusalem in the euene valey of Cedron, and he brente it there; and he droof it in to poudir, and castide it forth on the sepulcris of the comyn puple.

And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof on the graves of the children of the people.

7 Also he distriede the litle housis of `men turnyd into wommens condiciouns, whiche housis weren in the hows of the Lord; for whiche the wymmen `maden as litil howsis of the wode.

And he broke down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

8 And he gaderide alle the preestis fro the citees of Juda, and he defoulide the hiye thingis, where the preestis maden sacrifice, fro Gabaa `til to Bersabee; and he distriede the auters of yatis in the entryng of the dore of Josie, prince of a citee, which dore was at the lift half of the yate of the cytee.

And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and broke down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man’s left hand at the gate of the city.

9 Netheles the preestis of hiye thingis stieden not to the auter of the Lord in Jerusalem, but oneli thei eten therf looues in the myddis of her britheren.

Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brothers.

10 Also he defoulide Tophet, which is in the euene valey of the sone of Ennon, that no man schulde halewe his sone ether his douytir bi fier to Moloch.

And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.

11 Also he dide awei horsis, whiche the kyngis of Juda hadden youe to the sunne, in the entryng of the temple of the Lord, bisidis the chaumbir of Nathanmalech, geldyng, that was in Pharurym; forsothe he brente bi fier the charis of the sunne.

And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire.

12 Also the kyng distriede the auteris, that weren on the roouys of the soler of Achaz, whiche auteris the kyngis of Juda hadden maad; and the kyng distriede the auteris, whiche Manasses hadde maad in the twei grete placis of the temple of the Lord; and he ran fro thennus, and scateride the askis of tho in to the strond of Cedron.

And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and broke them down from there, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.

13 Also the kyng defoulide the hiye thingis, that weren in Jerusalem at the riyt part of the hil of offencioun, whiche Salomon, kyng of Israel, hadde bildid to Astroth, the ydol of Sidoneis, and to Chamos, the offencioun of Moab, and to Melchon, abhominacioun of the sones of Amon;

And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

14 and he al to-brak ymagis, and kittide doun wodis, and fillide the places of tho with the boonys of deed men.

And he broke in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.

15 Ferthermore also he distriede the auter that was in Bethel, and `he distriede the hiye thing, which Jeroboam, sone of Nabath, hadde maad, that made Israel to do synne; and he distriede that hiy autir, and brente it, and al to brak it in to poudir, and kittide doun also the wode.

Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he broke down, and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove.

16 And Josias turnyde, and siy there sepulcris that weren in the hil; and he sente, and took the boonys fro the sepulcris, and brente tho on the auter, and defoulide it bi the word of the Lord, which word the man of God spak, that biforseide these wordis.

And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchers that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchers, and burned them on the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.

17 And the kyng seide, What is this biriel, which Y se? And the citeseyns of that citee answeriden to hym, It is the sepulcre of the man of God, that cam fro Juda, and biforseide these wordis, whiche thou hast doon on the auter of Bethel.

Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulcher of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel.

18 And the kyng seide, Suffre ye hym; no man moue hise boonys. And hise boonys dwelliden vntouchid with the boones of the prophete, that cam fro Samarie.

And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria.

19 Ferthermore also Josias dide awei alle the templis of hiye thingis, that weren in the citees of Samarie, whiche the kyngis of Israel hadden maad to terre the Lord to ire; and he dide to tho templis bi alle thingis whiche he hadde do in Bethel.

And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the Lord to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.

20 And he killide alle the preestis of hiye thingis, that weren there on the auteris, and he brente mennus boonus on tho auteris; and he turnede ayen to Jerusalem;

And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there on the altars, and burned men’s bones on them, and returned to Jerusalem.

21 and comaundide to al the puple, and seide, Make ye pask to `youre Lord God, vp that, that is writun in the book of this boond of pees.

And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.

22 Forsothe sich pask was not maad, fro the daies of iugis that demyden Israel, and of alle daies of the kyngis of Israel and of Juda,

Surely there was not held such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;

23 as this pask was maad to the Lord in Jerusalem in the eiytenthe yeer of kyng Josias.

But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was held to the LORD in Jerusalem.

24 But also Josias dide awei men hauynge fendis spekinge in her wombis, and false diuinouris in auteris, and `he dide awei the figuris of idols, and alle vnclennessis, and abhomynaciouns, that weren in the lond of Juda and in Jerusalem, that he schulde do the wordis of the lawe, that weren writun in the book, `which book Elchie, the preest, foond in the temple of the Lord.

Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.

25 No kyng bifor him was lijk hym, `that turnede ayen to the Lord in al his herte, and in al his soule, and in al his vertu, bi al the lawe of Moises; nether aftir hym roos ony lijk hym.

And like to him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

26 Netheles the Lord was not turned awei fro the ire of his greet veniaunce, bi which his strong veniaunce was wrooth ayens Juda, for the terryngis to ire by whiche Manasses hadde terrid hym to ire.

Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, with which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him with.

27 Therfor the Lord seide, Y schal do awei also Juda fro my face, as Y dide awei Israel; and Y schal caste awei this citee, which Y chees, Jerusalem, and the hows `of which Y seide, My name schal be there.

And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.

28 Forsothe the residue of wordis of Josias, and alle thingis whiche he dide, whether these ben not writun in the book of wordis of daies of the kyngis of Juda?

Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

29 In the daies of hym Farao Nechao, kyng of Egipt, stiede ayens the kyng of Assiriens, to the flood Eufrates; and Josias, kyng of Juda, yede in to metyng of hym, and Josias was slayn in Magedo, whanne he hadde seyn hym.

In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.

30 And `hise seruauntis baren hym deed fro Magedo, and brouyte him in to Jerusalem, and birieden hym in his sepulcre; and the puple of the lond took Joachaz, sone of Josias, and anoyntiden hym, and maden hym kyng for his fadir.

And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulcher. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s stead.

31 Joachaz was of thre and twenti yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnede thre monethis in Jerusalem; the name of his modir was Amychal, douyter of Jeremye of Lobna.

Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

32 And he dide yuel bifor the Lord, bi alle thingis which hise fadris hadden do.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

33 And Farao Nechao boond hym in Reblatha, which is in the lond of Emath, that he schulde not regne in Jerusalem; and he settide `peyne, ether raunsum, to the lond, in an hundrid talentis of siluer, and in a talent of gold.

And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.

34 And Farao Nechao made kyng Eliachim, sone of Josias, for Josias, his fadir; and he turnede the name of hym Joachym; forsothe Farao took Joachaz, and ledde hym in to Egipt.

And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.

35 Sotheli Joachym yaf siluer and gold to Farao, whanne he hadde comaundid to the lond bi alle yeeris, that it schulde be brouyt, bi the comaundement of Farao; and he reiside of ech man bi hise myytis bothe siluer and gold, of the puple of the lond, that he schulde yyue to Pharao Nechao.

And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it to Pharaohnechoh.

36 Joachym was of fyue and twenti yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnede eleuene yeer in Jerusalem; the name of his modir was Zebida, douyter of Phadaia of Ruma.

Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.

37 And he dide yuel bifor the Lord, bi alle thingis which hise fadris hadden do.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.